View from the Tollhouse

This is the beginning of what I hope to be a very insightful blog about my experience with restoring the Lovettsville Tollhouse. I bought it in July 2007, thinking I could live in the house as it was, with some improvement. But over time I came to realize it needed a full restoration. M&T Bank was my first option for financing, suggested by a friend of a friend. However, the appraisers they hired indicated the highest and best use of the property was to tear down the building and build another! The whole idea was to restore what had been here for so long, so that was definitely NOT an option. I had heard Middleburg Bank financed restorations before, so I tried them next. Though I wasn't too impressed with the first financial officer I was assigned (and because of him I almost lost the deal on the house!), Middleburg Bank actually worked out pretty well. I am greatful they were patient with me, as it took 8 months to get started.

Eight months because it took that long to get Loudoun County to hear me, make a decision, then issue the building permit. Remember, I bought the place in July 2007. Well there was this thing called August recess. So, no Board of Supervisors to hear my case. I was extremely busy in a new position at work in September, so I couldn't really get anything going until October, when I got a hearing before a public safety committee. They opted to recommend a Pump and Haul operation on the tollhouse property. That would be putting a tank in the ground (2000 gallons!) and having it pumped out every time the full alarm goes off. (I was able to stretch it to about 5 months, and its about 150 dollars to pump out, so I didn't think it was too bad.)

Anyway, in November 2007 the Board of Supervisors heard my case and allowed me to progress with a Pump and Haul. I believe it wasn't until February of 2008 before I got the building permit (perhaps even March). My contractor (Tom Bullock of Bull's Eye Restoration, Inc.) began in April, and work continued until early December, so just about another 8 months passed before all was said and done. None too soon, as winter had set in early and the gas heat was such a blessing by then. I had been using the woodstove since moving in in early November, but with January temperatures in December, and with the woodstove's need for attention every few hours, it was hard not to use that gas heater. But eventually I managed a system of heating up the house to 67 °F with the gas heater, then shut it off, and ride out the rest of the night with the woodstove. With an electric heater in the basement, I was assured of pipes not freezing when the woodstove ran out during the night. If the power ever went out, I'd probably have to open up the basement door and run the gas heat on high to keep all from freezing until the power came back on. Thankfully, that never happened this year (winter 2008/2009).

This was my first blog post and I hope it did not ramble on too much! It is getting late and I will have to continue another time. Good night, and good luck.

Kurt